Gloucester Echo
It took a while for the audience to warm up. About 40 minutes by my reckoning. And a sharpener in the bar at half time. But that's more a reflection on the good folk of Tewkesbury than on Paul Leegan and the Legends.
The Lonnie Donegan tribute band, endorsed by the great man himself, kicked off their set - minus Paul - with a medley of hits from the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Including an extraordinary version of Wild One.
"Hands up who was in a skiffle band," shouted Paul, when he finally came on, about 10 numbers in.
Several arms in the audience shot up. And from that moment on, they seemed to be on his wavelength.
Paul delivered a heartfelt, bluesy Long Gone on a guitar once played by Donegan. Guitar virtuoso Warren James - who wasn't even a twinkle in his grandfather's eye when these tunes were written - gave barnstorming performances in Donegan classics like Putting On The Style, Jump Jive and Rock Island Line.
And drummer Tim Ward, of Tim Ward Jazz, standing in for regular Harry Heppingstall, delivered a mesmerising solo in one number.
But what the crowd was really waiting for they got: a sing-along My Old Man's A Dustman with a cart load of laughter to boot. Who says life's pleasures aren't simple?
The Lonnie Donegan tribute band, endorsed by the great man himself, kicked off their set - minus Paul - with a medley of hits from the 1940s, 50s and 60s. Including an extraordinary version of Wild One.
"Hands up who was in a skiffle band," shouted Paul, when he finally came on, about 10 numbers in.
Several arms in the audience shot up. And from that moment on, they seemed to be on his wavelength.
Paul delivered a heartfelt, bluesy Long Gone on a guitar once played by Donegan. Guitar virtuoso Warren James - who wasn't even a twinkle in his grandfather's eye when these tunes were written - gave barnstorming performances in Donegan classics like Putting On The Style, Jump Jive and Rock Island Line.
And drummer Tim Ward, of Tim Ward Jazz, standing in for regular Harry Heppingstall, delivered a mesmerising solo in one number.
But what the crowd was really waiting for they got: a sing-along My Old Man's A Dustman with a cart load of laughter to boot. Who says life's pleasures aren't simple?
Tanya Gledhill - 3/5/06
